Improvement in hand-power attachments for sewing-machines



A. B. FELT. Hand-Power .Attashment for Sewing-Machines.

No. 220,819. Patented Oct. 21,1879.

UNITED STATES PATENT ALVIN B. FELT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAND-POWER ATTACHMENTS FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No- 220,S19, dated October 21, 1879; application filed August 15, 1879.

To'all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVIN B. FELT, of the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Hand-Po wer Attachments for Operating Sewing-Machines, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification.

Sewing-machines are ordinarily operated by a belt running on a pulley fixed on the main shaft of the machine, power being conveyed thereto from a larger wheel worked by treadle or from a shaft driven by a suitable motor.

It is desirable at times or under certain special circumstances to operate these machines by hand. If fixed or permanent operating devices were provided they would be inconvenient and interfere with running the machine by power or treadle.

This invention relates to an attachment whereby machines constructed to be operated by foot or engine power may be run by hand, if required; and it consists in a bracket adapted to be readily applied to or detached from the frame of the machine, which bracket supports a hand wheel above the wheel in line with the pulley on the main shaft, the handwheel being preferably larger than said pulley; and it also consists in the particular construction of the bracket, as hereinafter set forth.

By securin g the bracket to the metallic machine-frame it is firmly and rigidly supported, and the wheel, being above the table or clothplatc, is in position to be readily turned by the hand of the operator.

The following description will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use my said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of the bracket and wheel in position on the machineframe, and Fig. 2 of the same detached.

A is the bracket; B, a slotted cap on one arm of the bracket, and O the hand or driving wheel, turning on the axle or pin 0, fixed in said bracket.

D represents a part of the stationary arm and standard or goose-neck of one of the machines known as the Davis Machine.

E is a projection from the goose-neck, (shown in dotted lines 5) F, a fly-wheel, and G a pulley,

preferably cast in one piece with the fly-wheel, and fixed on the main shaft H. A lever operated by a cam on the same shaft serves to drive the shuttle.

On the arm or goose-neck D and projection E are provided ribs 0 e, employed for strength or ornament, as usual in the Davis machine as ordinarily made.

The cap B on one side is slotted, as at b, and on the other a large part is cut out, as at 1). (Best shown in Fig. 2.) The interior of the cap is formed to correspond with the exte rior of the top of the projection E.

On the arm a of the bracket A at the end thereof is a groove, a, of such a shape as to fit over the rib e.

In order to place the bracket in position on the machine, all that is necessary is to place the cap B over the projection E, the rib 6 passing through the slot 1), and the groove a fitting over the rib c. The bracket is thus held firmly in position.

Power is communicated to the pulley G from the Wheel 0 by a belt of suitable size. If it is desired to run the machine by treadle or power, this belt can be readily removed and another placed in position, the attachment bein g removed and replaced as deemed suitable.

When desired, as in machines run by power, my attachment could be used for operating the machine by foot instead of hand power, a suitable treadle being connected with the wheel 0.

By constructing the bracket as shown, it is secured without the use of screws, bolts, or other fastening device placed on or tempora rily secured to the machine for that purpose.

Although I have shown my inventionapplied to a Davis machine, yet I do not intend to confine myself thereto, as with more or less modifications it could be used in connection with those of a different construction. In some cases it may be necessary to make some modification or addition to the machine-frame; but it is preferred to make the bracket to fit existing as well as new machines, and that without the use of bolts or screws.

Having thus fully described my said invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

FFIGEQ with a slotted cap and at the end of the other with a groove, substantially as set forth, and adapted to be secured to the machine-frame without the aid of screws, bolts, or similar devices, as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribin g witnesses.

ALVIN B. FELT. Witnesses:

E. A. DICK, DANIEL CLARKE. 

